For many people, to feel confident smiling in photos feels like a near impossible feat! Smiles can feel forced, or uncomfortable when required on demand. You may feel completely fine in real life, then suddenly become hyper-aware of your teeth, jawline, facial expressions, or “bad side” the moment a camera appears.

As both orthodontic professionals and photographers know, confidence in photos rarely comes from having a “perfect” smile alone. It usually comes from understanding how to relax your face, work with angles and lighting, and create expressions that feel natural instead of forced.

The good news? We have some skills you can actually practise. 

Stop Saying “Cheese”

One of the biggest reasons smiles look stiff in photos is because people are taught to stretch their mouths outward unnaturally.

Professional photographers often avoid telling people to say “cheese” because it tends to create tension in the jaw and cheeks. Instead, many use words like:

• “money”
• “yeah”
• or encourage light laughter between shots

These sounds naturally lift the mouth upward instead of pulling it sideways, creating a softer and more genuine smile.

Another trick photographers use is to keep people moving or talking rather than freezing in one pose. Often the best smile happens in-between posed moments.

Smile With Your Eyes

A genuine smile involves more than just your mouth. Real smiles usually create a slight narrowing or soft tension around the eyes, sometimes called “smizing” (Thanks Tyra Banks).

When only the mouth is smiling, expressions can sometimes feel disconnected or forced on camera.

One way to create a more natural expression is to think about a real memory, person, or moment that genuinely makes you happy right before the photo is taken. That emotion tends to show up naturally in the eyes and creates a much warmer expression overall.

Relax Your Jaw

Tension is one of the biggest enemies of a natural smile.

If you clench your teeth or tighten your jaw too much while smiling, photos can quickly start to look strained or overly posed. Keeping the upper lip and jaw relaxed usually creates a softer and more flattering expression.

This is especially important for people who feel self-conscious about showing too much gum tissue when smiling. A relaxed expression often naturally balances this out better than trying to “control” the smile.

Tongue Placement Actually Matters

This sounds strange, but photographers and posing coaches use this trick all the time.

Placing the tip of your tongue gently behind your upper back teeth while smiling can help prevent a wide smile from looking overly tense or exaggerated. It also subtly supports the jaw and can help expressions feel more controlled and natural.

Tiny adjustments like this can make a surprisingly big difference in photos.

Genuine Smiles Don’t Last Forever

Real smiles are usually brief. Most genuine expressions only last a few seconds before they start to look forced.

That’s why photographers often encourage people to:

• look away or down briefly
• reset their expression
• then look back and smile naturally

Trying to “hold” a smile for too long often creates stiffness in the face and eyes.

Find Your Best Angles

Almost everyone has angles they prefer in photos. That’s completely normal. 

Practising in the mirror or taking casual selfies can help you notice:

• which side feels most comfortable
• how much chin tilt changes your face shape
• whether softer or bigger smiles suit you best
• how posture affects your overall appearance

Professional photographers also know that camera angle matters a lot.

A few simple adjustments:

• Keep the camera slightly above eye level rather than below
• Tilt your chin slightly downward
• Push your chin forward just a little to help define the jawline
• Turn your body slightly instead of facing perfectly straight-on

These small posing changes can dramatically affect how confident and natural a photo feels.

Don’t Forget About Lighting

Lighting affects your smile more than most people realize.

Soft natural lighting, especially near windows or outdoors during golden hour, tends to be much more flattering than harsh overhead lighting. Bright flash photography or strong overhead lights can create shadows that exaggerate tension, texture, or asymmetry.

Good lighting helps everyone look more relaxed and natural.

A Tiny Photographer Trick: Moisturize Your Teeth

Here’s a small professional trick that many people don’t know:
Right before a photo, quickly run your tongue over your teeth.

It adds a bit of natural moisture, which can make teeth appear slightly shinier and brighter on camera.

Exhale Before the Photo

If you feel tense in photos, try this:
Take a deep breath in, then slowly exhale as the photo is being taken.

Exhaling naturally relaxes the jaw, shoulders, and facial muscles, which helps expressions feel softer and more genuine.

It’s one of the easiest ways to instantly reduce that stiff “photo smile.”

Confidence Matters More Than Perfection

Social media has made many people hyper-aware of tiny details about their smile or face. But the reality is that most people are not analyzing your teeth nearly as much as you think they are.

The photos people love most are usually the ones where someone looks:

• joyful
• relaxed
• authentic
• comfortable being themselves

Orthodontic treatment can absolutely help people feel more confident smiling, especially if they’ve spent years hiding their teeth or feeling self-conscious in photos. But confidence in pictures also comes from learning how to relax, trust yourself, and stop chasing perfection.

At the end of the day, the best smiles are usually the ones that feel real. If you want some help feeling confident with your smile, we are happy to help with how orthodontics can improve your smile. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.